Falcon Wild

This was a quick, action filled read. I think my students will love the survival theme and all the action that this story brings. I loved the information about falconry and how it was woven into the survival story.

At first I thought this might have been a similar story to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/328766.A_Kestrel_for_a_Knave">A Kestrel for a Knave</a> but any resemblance is only slight, seen in the change in Cooper's attitude and demeanor.

Karma dreams of two things - being an apprentice falconer, and being a normal girl, with friends and sleepovers and all the normal stuff kids do in high school - but sometimes it seems that only the first might be actually achievable. And then the falcon she's rehabilitated is reclaimed by the original owner. En route to Canada to return Stark, they have an accident and now Karma is alone in the Montana wilderness, trying to keep herself, a runaway and her falcon Stark alive.

We experience the falconer's thrill and despair along with Karma as she flies Stark, all the while wondering if she will make it, if Stark will come back or if she will stay wild, with the ability to see the world both as Karma does - where tearing apart a small animal is completely normal - and through Cooper's eyes, but ultimately it's both a story of adventure and self-discovery.

As a bird lover and a budgie fancier, I was drawn to the beautiful hawk on the cover of this book, but the description alone sounded intriguing. I found I was not disappointed.

Thirteen-year-old Karma dreams of becoming a falconer like her father. She and her brother Gavin have been homeschooled at her father's bird education center, and while she is eager to enter high school and have real friends like the ones she has read about in books, she's also socially awkward. But she feels right at home training birds of prey and has fallen in love with the gyrfalcon she helped nurse back to health. Unfortunately the bird's original handler has tracked her down and has asked that she be returned. A grieving Karma and Gavin accompany their father in returning Stark—but right after the three give a sullen boy named Cooper a ride, their car goes off the road and is badly damaged, and their father is trapped inside their vehicle. While Gavin stays with his father, Karma hikes off to the road the GPS said was only two miles ahead.

Instead Karma ends up lost in the woods after the road never materializes, her only help Stark, who was freed accidentally from her cage by Gavin, and Cooper, who turns up to rescue Karma from a dangerous situation. In time, the three become a team, and Karma is thrilled when Stark learns to hunt for them. But still she worries...where is the road that showed up on the GPS? What will happen to her father?

This is a super survival story featuring a teenage protagonist who isn't a superstar athlete or even very sure of herself. As she struggles to survive she keeps her head and uses her wits, yet her insecurities are something every young person can understand. The text keeps moving at a brisk pace, making the danger real and immediate, while the beauty and danger of the wilderness around the teens are beautifully described, as is the falconing lifestyle and the birds themselves. You cannot help envying Karma for working with beautiful, independent raptors. In short, I loved this book.

I was given an e-copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Falcon Wild was a really nice story. It is a fairly typical survival story, but is made interesting by the addition of falconry. Falconry is something I knew very little about prior to reading this book, and I really enjoyed learning about it. The book is geared toward middle grade children, and I could see myself loving it if I was that age, but even as an adult it was enjoyable, and I will likely seek out some of the authors other books in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and Charlsebridge for the opportunity to read this book.

Outstanding read...story, characters, plot all engaging and realistic...loved it.

Although it is a coming of age kind of story, and I am WELL past that period in my life, it gripped me good, enough to read it in one sitting.
The characters are well developed, likeable and identifiable with, the narrative is action filled, but also offers interesting and useful information about survival in the wild, birds and falconry, and wildlife in general.
The only thing I didn't like was that, when you thought that everything that could go wrong already happened, some other pericle appeared – at a certain point, it just seemed there were one too many obstacles.

I enjoyed this one, I don't often read survival stories, and never one with falconry involved, but I loved it! I have always been fascinated by raptures and falconry, but don't have much knowledge about it. I enjoyed learning the terms and techniques along with the survival aspect of this story. It really adds to it, and joined my love for animals, with my enjoyment of a good survival story. I also loved Karma and Cooper's friendship and how it unfolded. While I felt it was missing something, I enjoyed this one, and definitely recommend it! The survival part was perfect, and I loved the ending. I felt Karma as a character could have used a little more work, especially at the beginning, but once things start getting serious, she was great!

A splendid and unique read! This fast paced action adventure features two strong female leads - a teenage girl and her female falcon. Very enjoyable, and I learned lots about falconry too. All round winner.

I really enjoyed this book,I love birds,so ws great to read about Hawks training,very well written

This review will be posted on my blog on 9/18/17.

Karma works with her family's nature education business, and is hoping that she can become an apprentice falconer. She has a gyr falcon, Stark, but learns that the bird must be returned to its original owners. Her father and brother set out on a trip to Montana to hand off Stark, and briefly pick up a hitchhiker Karma's age along the way. Cooper is uncommunicative, and Karma's father is not pleased. After dropping Cooper off, the family turns down a road and finds that Cooper has taken the family cell phone. This is problematic when a tire on the van blows, crashing it on its side and wounding Karma's father. Stark escapes, and Karma takes off for help after consulting her father. The road doesn't take her where she is expecting, and she falls into a pit. Luckily, Stark has followed her and circles above where she is, and draws Cooper to find her! They both feel bad for how they treated each other, and form an uneasy alliance to get help. Everything that could go wrong does. Karma's arm, which was injured in the crash, starts to get infected; they run into a bear; there's an unexpected dip in the river; it storms; and they are very low on food and supplies. Along with the physical trauma of surviving in the wilderness, Cooper has personal issues to work through, and Karma is greatly concerned for the safety of her brother and father. Can the two find assistance before it's too late?
Strengths: Like Johnson' excellent Ice Dogs, Falcon Wild is rich in details about back country travel and all of the challenges one might face in that environment. Cooper and Karma are not foolish about how they proceed, but they do lack some survival know-how, which gets them into all sorts of trouble. The explanations of how to work with falcons is something I haven't seen often in middle grade- other than Jean Craighead George's classic My Side of the Mountain books, I can't think of any. Readers who may have never been anywhere more dangerous than the devil strip of their own front yard adore gripping descriptions of survival, and Cooper and Karma's tentative friendship as they work together adds some more depth to the story.
Weaknesses: I found it a bit odd that Karma's father would have been so unprepared for a trip. I think I take more supplies on my bike when I go two miles to the library!
What I really think: Survival books are always in demand, and I'll be glad to add this to my library collection.

A survival story set in Montana that students will love! Perfect for 5th-8th graders!

Years ago, I met a falconer and his birds at a medieval re-enactment event, and it made a huge impression on me. I was fascinated! Such small birds, most being smaller than the common crow, and yet so very powerful! Thus, I was very much looking forward to reading Falcon Wild, and I was not disappointed.

This book opens with young teen Karma is helping her dad demonstrate these amazing birds at their education center. Karma’s gyrfalcon, Stark, is the centerpiece of Karma’s life. However, while traveling, the family’s van blows a tire and flips over, trapping her father and allowing Stark to escape. Karma leaves to get help and encounters trial after trial, but through it all, Stark remains with Karma, and their bond deepens considerably. All ends well, but not before several harrowing, even life-threatening adventures occur.

I sometimes judge a book by how many times I have to look up unfamiliar words. I was delighted to be consulting my dictionary a few times while reading this book as I learned new bird-related vocabulary. The characters are well-drawn, complex but not overly-complicated. The trials and adventures are all true-to-life and realistic. Several times, I held my breath, wondering how Karma would be able to survive. It was very gratifying to read about a teen girl whose interests and passions were so unique and about a family with such a strong bond, so strong that they are able to reach other to another in the story and share their strengths with him. Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it for anyone interested in the outdoors, birds of prey, and/or coming-of-age stories. Appropriate ages would be late elementary through high school, but even as an adult, I found the story engaging and hard to put down at times.

I gratefully received this book as an eARC from the author, publisher, and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thirteen year-old Karma is helping her father with a demonstration of how amazingly well trained these birds are at their family’s Bird-of-Prey Education Center in Montana. Her gyrfalcon, Stark, is at her side. Her father has Gremlin, a peregrine falcon, perched on his fist and he’s talking to the crowd. She’s a bit nervous since this will be Stark’s first school demonstration with her, but she tries to slow her breathing down, maintain a sense of calm.

After the demonstration, Karma learns that the true owner of Stark wants him returned. She’s found Stark on the side of the road, emaciated, and brought her to her Aunt Amy who rehabilitates birds. Karma fed her using an eyedropper every few hours until she was stronger, strong enough to eat without Karma’s help. Karma is devastated, of course, all those hours of promises she’s made to Stark, if only she would get better. Now she can’t imagine leaving her, but this is not her decision.

On their way to deliver Stark, with her father driving and her nine year-old brother, Gavin, their van blows a tire, and the van flips and ends up in a ditch on the roadside, Stark escapes in the ensuing confusion. Her father is trapped and has Karma leave to go get help, telling her the direction to follow to get to the highway. Gavin stays to help out their father as much as he can, as he’s unable to move.

There’s much that follows, one big adventure that really is more like a series of adventures, but not a fun one. An adventure that involves a somewhat unpredictable teenage boy, and several hair-raising events. They wander about in the wilderness, facing one challenge after another, trying to find their way to the highway, to get help. There are a few twists and turns that were unexpected, but not necessarily unrealistic. I loved the characters, especially Karma, but then this is really Karma’s story.

While this is marketed as Children’s Fiction / Middle Grade, Ages 10 and up, I think it might have a broader appeal than that, depending upon your child’s reading level, and interests. I was particularly interested in this for two in this age group and I think they both would enjoy this. I think the idea of falconry would appeal to both, but being nature lovers, I would expect that.

This is the first book by Terry Lynn Johnson that I’ve read, but I enjoyed it thoroughly, so I wanted to look up her other books. It turns out that Ms. Johnson has had an interest in falconry since she was a ten year-old herself, which shows in the little pieces of information she feeds you throughout about falcons and falconry. She is the author of “Ice Dogs” as well as a second upcoming novel in October 2017, “Sled Dog School,” as well as the upcoming “Survivor Diaries Series.”

Of Note: “Falcon Wild” was chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall 2017

Recommended – Ages 10+


Pub Date: 19 Sep 2017

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Charlesbridge

Falcon Wild (Hardcover)
by Terry Lynn Johnson
Terry Johnson admits to have researched this book not telling the story from personal experience. Like Gary Paulson, in Hatchet this book looks at the abilities of an individual to survive in the worst of times.
Karma is a young girl who is homeschooled and lives to help her family with their Birds of Prey Education Center. This is the last year that she will remain at home, next year she will go to high school, and apprentice with her aunt to learn falconry. There is just one more test for her. To return her beloved Stark. The Gyrafalcon that she had saved and raised, and helped to retrain. It is her connection to her bird, her connection to falconry and her forgiveness that will bring her all she needs to survive. Although the book does circle back on itself the character is able to work through her struggles and find growth. This is a great story for young middle school girls, teaching about forgiveness, understanding, tolerance, the cost of jumping to conclusions. Karma is a role model and an inspiration. Like Hatchet, this book looks at the role of survival, and knowing your own nature. I would recommend this book to middle school teachers at a contrast to Hatchet, or as a book read along side Hatchet in the classroom to show that not only do boys learn to survive by their wit but that a girl can do that as well with as much resilience and flair.

Karma’s parents run a Birds of Prey Education Center in the Beavertree National Forest, Montana. Since a very young age, Karma has been allowed to work with the raptors.

Recently added to this collection is Stark, a gyrfalcon. Karma had found the emaciated bird on the side of the road and with nursing and tender loving care, she is now able to show Stark, and with her father, giving exhibitions at the centre.

Karma has developed a deep and special relationship with Stark and is devastated to hear that the owners have asked for the bird to be returned to them. Her father suggests that he take Karma and her brother, Gavin, on the trip to return the bird to the owners. Little did any of them realise just how hazardous this trip would be.

They are travelling on a little-used road, when their tyre bursts, leaving Karma’s father trapped by the steering wheel. Stark escapes and Karma feels obliged to set off to find help for her father and brother but also to find the gyrfalcon.

Terry Lynn Johnson has painted a perfect landscape for this young teenager to show her true mettle by braving bad weather, dangerous routes and having to join forces with Cooper, a very angry runaway teenager they met at a gas station. He decides to follow them as he wants to extract revenge after feeling they had “abandoned” him.

I loved this book! The author has managed to capture the relationship that falconers have with their birds. Gyrfalcons have to be amongst my favourite raptors and getting to read a story based on the relationship this young girl forges with this mighty bird was definitely awe-inspiring.

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Just the kind of book my students who love reading survival fiction. And I love that the protagonist is a multidimensional young teen who has a passion for falconry but at the same time struggles with just fitting in and finding friendships. So believable and a character middle grade and young teens will related to because she is so well drawn.

FALCON WILD by Terry Johnson is an adventure story about two teens and a raptor lost in the wilderness.

After a car accident, Karma and Cooper along with a falcon called Stark become lost in the Montana wilderness. While seeking help, the three learn to trust one another in order to survive the harsh, rugged conditions.

Librarians will find this novel popular with middle grade youth who enjoy friendship stories and outdoor adventures. In addition to the engaging story, readers will enjoy the abundance of information about falconry.

Published by Charlesbridge on September 12, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

I received this free from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
What an amazing book. I loved the story. So believable. My heart ached when Karma found out she would have to give up Stark. And then everything else she goes through. What a strong, resilient character. I would love to read more about Karma and Stark.

Who/what are Stark and Gremlin? Where are they? Who are Karma and Gavin? Where do they end up going to and why? Where do they meet Cooper? What happens after they depart company from Cooper? What does Karma have to do? What misadventure does Karma find herself in? Wow, I am trying hard not to cry at the end of the book. I look forward to reading more books by Terry Lynn Johnson. This book covered things about wild animals that I did not know and was very happy to learn and now want to learn more in real life.

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.